Playing attachment for zithers



F. M. NICKERSON.

PLAYING ATTACHMENT FOR ZITHERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 12, 1919- PatentedSept. 14,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK M. NICKERSON, F EVERETT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THEPHON'O- HARP COMPANY, OF EAST BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OFMAINE.

PLAYING ATTACHMENT FOR ZITHERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 14, 1920.

Application filed March 12, 1919. Serial 170,282,154.

To all whom it may concern: .1

Be it known that I, FREDERICK M. NIOKER- SON, a citizen of the Domlmonof Canada,

the following is a specification.

' The object of this invention is to provide a simple improvedattachment by which the chord strings of a zither or like instrument maybe played. Such attachments are sometimes termed left-hand attachments,as

. the groups of chord strings are usually cated on the left side of themelody strings which are arranged to furnish either a diatonic orchromatic scale. Each of the groups of chord strings usually consists offour strings, one tuned to constitute the funda} mental bass, and theothers tuned to furnish a triad in harmony therewith. Anattachmentembodying the present invention preferably is provided with one hammerfor striking the bass string and a hammer for striking theassociatedstrings of the same group of chord strings, so that there aretwo hammers for each group.

On the accompanying draw1ng,-

Figure 1 represents in plain view a portion of a zither provided with aleft-hand attachment embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 represents a plan View of a portion ofthe attachment on a largerscale.

ig. 3 represents a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and shows thehammer in a normal inactive position.

Fig. 4: is a similar view, but shows the hammer in dotted lines asengaged with the string, and in full lines as raised and ready to bereleased.

Fig. 5 represents a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1. I I

Fig. 6 illustrates a portion of the frame and shows how the hammers aremounted.

Fig. 7 illustrates aportion of the handrest and cover.

Fig. 8 represents a perspective view of one of the hammers. 7

Referring to the drawings,lhave shown a portion of a zither comprising asounding board 10, .and having a series of melody strings, some of whichare indicated at 11, and four groups of chord strings, each groupcomprising a bass string 12, and three strings 13furnishing a triad.

The attachment comprises a hammer 14 for each bass string and a hammer15 for the remaining strings of each group. These hammers may be allidentical in construction, although, if desired, the hammers of thetriad strings may be somewhat wider than those for the bass strings.These hammers are all pivoted or fulcrumed near their rear ends upon apivot, which may consist of a rod or wire 16. Each hammer may, ifdesired, be made of wood or other suitable material, and has a shankwith a flat upper face 17, and at its free end is formed or providedwith a finger-piece consisting of an upwardly extending projection 18,the front face of which is preferably concave. Each hammer has a notch19 to receive the pivot. This construction permits the independentdetachment of each hammer. The hammers are engaged by leaf springs 20,so arranged that the pressure of the springs upon the flat top faces ofthe hammers normally holds the hammers at an angle to the strings, asshown in Fig. 3. WVhen the operator engages the finger-piece 1S andlifts the hammer to the position shown by the full lines in Fig. 4, thefree extremity of the spring is raised, thus storing power in thespring; and then, when the finger-piece is released, the spring forcesthe hammer downwardly until the head of the hammer engages the string asshown by the dotted lines in the last-mentioned figure. When in thelast-mentioned position, the rear extremity of the hammer (in the rearof the pivot 16) lifts orflexes the spring, so that, as soon as thehammer head has struck the string, the spring returns the hammer to itsnormal position. The head of the hammer may be formed in any desirableway as b securing to the shank a piece of felt or other material 201.

It is quite evidentthat any suitable frame or holder for the action maybe employed and that it mav be located at any convenient point on thezither. As shown, the rear ends'of the springs are secured in the bar(see F ig. 6), but of course they may be separate leaf springs. There isan advantage, however, in stamping or cutting them from a sheetof-resilient spring metal, as the correct spacing of the individualspring members is secured. The securingbar consists of a sheet of metalfolded to provide two members 25, 26, which embrace the strip '24 andrigidly clamp it. At its end the bar has forwardly projecting fingers 27through which pass the screws 28 which fasten said bar to the end blocks22 of the 7 frame. The upper faces of said blocks are.

recessed as at 29 'and the screws 28 pass down into the blocks betweenthe end walls of sa'id'recessesf Hence, by adjusting the screws, the bar21 may be tilted slightly to adjust the ends of thespringssimultaneously 30which embrace the'blook's 22,'a,rear wall towardor from the strings.

Theaction is provided with'a combined hand-rest and'cover which consistsof a thin metal plate. It has a top wall 291, end walls 31 which lapsthe rear ends of the blocks, andv a front wall 32 lapping the front endsof said blocks. The cover has a verticalwall 7 so that'the fingerpieceslie in the reentrant angle formed by saidwalls. 'In forming. theslots 36, tongues ior lips 37 are bent clownwardly into parallelism tofurnish spacers for the hammers to prevent them from being -laterallydislocated.

' conceals all of the action with the exception The cover covers or ofthe finger-pieces 18, and itis secured in place, by the same screws 23which fasten the blocks 22 to thesounding board. It will be observedfrom Fig. l that the upper end walls 38 of the slots serveas stops tolimit the upward movement ofthe hammers when they are lifted preparatoryto causing them to strike the strings. The rear wall 31 has same lorizontalplane as the wallfi which rests upon the front ends of saidblocks.

/ It is quiteclear that various changes may I be 'made'in the details ofconstruction herein Havingthusexplained the nature fi described without.departing from the. spirit and scope of the invention asdefined in'theclaims. 1

said invention and described a way of. making and using thesame,althoughwithout attempting to set forth all ofthe forms'in which itmaybe made or all of the modes'of 7 its use, what I claimis:"

1. 'The combination:with a zither, ofia playing attachment therefor,comprising a hammer'arranged above the strings, a pivot on which saidhammer is fulcrumed near its 'frame. 7 n

6; The combination witharzither, of a' 7 left-hand playing attachmentfor the, groups rear, end, a leaf spring normally bearing upon thehammer on both sides of the pivot and holding the hammer head apartfroin its associated string-or strings, substantially as set forth. 7 V

2.'The combination with a zither,'of a left-hand playing attachment forthe groups of chord strings, comprising a frame, a

pivot rod supported by said frametransversely of the strings, aplurality of inflexible hammers, each fulcrumed near its end on saidpivot, aplurality of leaf springs associated with said hammers, each.spring;

normally engaging its associated hammer in front and in rear ofsaid'pivot and holding the hammer head apart from said string, and meansfor securing the rear ends 'of said springs to said 'frame; v

3. The combination with'a Zither, of, a left-hand playing attachmentforthe groups of chord strings, comprising a frame, a pivot rod supportedby said frame transversely of the strings, a plurality of inflexiblehammers, each fulcriunedf'near its'e'nd on said pivot, a plurality ofleaf springs associated with said hammers, eachspring normally engagingits associated hammer in f front and in rear of said pivot and holdingthejhammer head apart fromsaid'string, means for securing the rear endsof said springs to said frame,a nd a hand rest locatedabove the springsandtserving asa stop to limit the upward movement of the hammers.

a. The combination with a 'zither, of a left-hand playing'attachment forthe groups of chord strings, 'comprisinga "frame, a pivot rod supportedby saidv frame tran'sverselyof thestrings, aplural'ity of inflexiblehammers, each fulcrumed near its end on said pivot, and having atits'headed end an upwardly extending. finger-piece by a which thesaidheaded end may be liftedby I the operator, a'pli rality of leafspringsassociated w th said hammers, each spring front and inrearof saidpivot and holding the hammer head apart" from said, string,

and means for securing the rear. end of said spr ngsto'said frame.

5. The combination with a zither, ofa

left-hand playing attaeliment for the groups of chord strings,comprising aframe, a pivot rod supported by sa d frame transversely ofthestrings, a plurality of inflexible hammers, each fulcrumed near its:end' on said, pivot, ,astrip of springimetal hav of chord strings,comprising a frame,.'a

. pivot rod supported by saidlframe trans:

a V V v normally engaging its associated hammer in tongues or lips Balwlnch rest uponthe rear ends'of the blocks, and'which are in the verselyof the strings, a plurality of inflexible hammers, each fulcrumed nearits end on said pivot, a plurality of leaf springs engaging saidhammers, a securing bar for said springs consisting of a folded stripbetween the members of which the springs are clamped, and means forsecuring said bar to said frame.

7. The combination with a zither, of a left-hand playing attachment forthe groups of chord strings, comprising a frame, a pivot rod supportedby said frame transversely of the strings, a plurality of inflexiblehammers, each fulcrumed near its end on said pivot, and having at itsheaded end an upwardly extending finger-piece by which the said headedend may be lifted by the operator, a plurality of leaf springsassociated with said hammers, each spring normally engaging itsassociated hammer in front and in rear of said pivot and holding thehammer head apart from said string, means for securing the rear ends ofsaid springs to said frame, and a cover affording a hand-rest, andhaving at its front portion horizontal and vertical walls forming areentrant angle, said walls being slotted to receive and expose thefingerpieces on the hammers.

8. A zither playing attachment comprising a supporting frame, a pivotrod supported by said frame transversely of the strings, a hammer havinga notch near its end riding on said wire, whereby the hammer isfulcrumed on said wire, and a leaf spring contacting with the hammer onboth sides of the fulcrum, whereby the hammer is held againstdisplacement from said rod and in normal position out of contact withthe strings.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

FREDERICK M. NICKERSON.

